"Hey, Tom. Congrats. You headed back to Australia?" Jase asked. They'd had a few classes together over the years even though Tom was older than Jase. He was double majoring, so he'd taken an extra couple of years to finish, but Jase had no doubt the guy would be a big success.
The Aussie laughed. "Naw, mate. Headed to Miami, as a matter of fact. Seems Father's gift to me, since he didn't bother to come witness his youngest make his marks, is a condo on the beach and a nice, tidy sum for a gap year I never took after I finished school. I'll get a tan one way or another," the handsome man joked as he slapped Jase on the back.
His bright red hair and pale complexion said otherwise, but Jase laughed. "Watch out for yourself, man. Things are different down there than they are here in the ATL. Every big city is different," he offered as they shook hands and parted company.
Jase headed back to his seat to watch the remainder of the degrees conferred to his fellow classmates because they'd sat and watched him walk the stage. He was considering what he was going to do for the time between the next day when he'd pack up the pickup truck with the bed cover he'd bought second-hand with money he'd saved from the sum his mother had given him. Jon and Mickey had begged him to return to Wonderland for his two-weeks before he moved to Rockville for his new job, and he'd eventually accepted, finally embracing the fact he had nobody else waiting for him to be anywhere.
It was a little heartbreaking if he dwelled on it, but he was grateful for the family he had…though they weren't really his. It was the family he'd chosen, but as he'd learned over the years, having the choice made them that much more special.
After hugs with a few classmates from a study group and some social acquaintances, he made his way to the corner of the pavilion he'd pointed out to the group of anonymous supporters he had in the stands.
He unzipped his gown, reaching into the pocket of the new suit slacks he'd worn beneath the gown to pull out a flask of very good bourbon. He toasted to himself (because he was all he had to depend upon), and took a long sip before he put it away and pulled the mortar board off his head where Brittany had secured it with bobby pins. He was examining how much of his hair had been pulled out when he felt a tug on his slacks. When he looked down to see Megan Wells, he smiled as he picked her up.
"Oh, Sweetness, I've missed you. Thank you for coming. Who else is here?" he asked as he kissed her cheek and looked into her beautiful, brown eyes. Her brown ringlets had been tamed into a bun, and she looked as lovely as she'd ever looked to him. He'd missed her very much.
"I missed you, too, Jase. You're comin' home, right?" she asked.
Home. Jon and Mickey's…well, Ally and Ham's horse farm had become his home, though he always thought he'd have a home with Danny and Kayley Johnson. He felt the tears in his eyes as he remembered the last time he'd seen them, and he knew he had to get ahold of himself before he completely melted down.
"I am, for a couple of weeks at least. I have a job waiting for me, you know," he told her before he kissed her cheek again.
Mickey walked over to him and kissed his cheek. "So, honors, and in three years? I hate you," he teased as he picked up the gold, braided cord around Jase's neck and pretended to wrap it around him to choke him. He knew Mickey had another year to go for his degree, but he respected the man more than he could say for his accomplishments.
Mickey Warren had a lot on his plate, and the late nights Jase had seen from his carriage house apartment window with the man at his computer taking tests and submitting worksheets in his on-line classes had impressed Jase enough to make him want to do the best he could, if for no one other than Mickey. The man had been a mentor to him for several years, and he owed him a lot of gratitude.
"Hey, I had a lot of luck on my side, along with those grants and scholarships you helped me find. I couldn't have done this without you," Jase admitted.
He saw Mickey Warren, the handsome, green-eyed, auburn-haired cowboy blush, which surprised him. He'd really missed him since Christmas. "Where's Jon and Terry?" Jase asked as he looked around to see two family members missing.
"They're outside," Meggie answered as she wiggled to get down from his arms, which was a new thing. She usually loved being held. Before the three of them had a chance to walk out of the pavilion to find Jon and Terry, Jase felt a pull on the back of his robe.
He turned to see one he wished he'd not let get away. Thomas Shea was a gorgeous guy from Boston. He had bright blonde hair, cute freckles that speckled his milky white skin, and eyes as green as Mickey Warren's. Two dates, which had both been amazing, but Jase still cut him loose and came up with a lot of reasons why he couldn't go out again. Jase determined himself to be a stupidly, stubborn man.
"I guess this is goodbye," Thomas offered as he pulled on Jase's hand, leading him into a more private area.
"Look, I'm sorry I was such a prick, but I wanted to get school behind me, and with your good looks, you had the potential to derail me from my goal, Thomas. How about you? Prospects?" Jase asked, using the guy's given name.
He was Thomas O'Donnell Shea, and he was as Irish as Irish could be…without the brogue. His build reminded Jase of Daniel Johnson, and that made him taboo. He wasn't going down that road again.
"Law school, actually. Goin' to Georgetown University as a matter of fact. You?" the young Irishman asked.
"Actually, I'm going to work for a firm in Rockville. We should exchange numbers. You're not that far away. I believe the metro goes to Georgetown, or somewhere nearby," Jase suggested, offering a sexy smile.
Just then, he felt an arm around his waist and a head on his shoulder. He turned to see Mickey standing next to him with a bright smile. "Baby, who's this? I'm Mickey, Jase's someone. You're a classmate?"
Jase was too dumbfounded to speak, but Thomas wasn't. "You truly are a fucker. Good luck." He then stormed away, leaving Jase stunned as they stood in the lobby of the pavilion.
Jase wheeled on Mickey and had to fight an instinct to slug him. He'd worked out and built some muscle over the years. He played on an intramural softball team at school with some other geeks who were out to prove a point, plus, he'd taken up boxing along with yoga. At six-feet, four inches, Jason Langston felt he was able to take care of himself, but what Mickey had done? That was unconscionable.
"What the fu…dge? That guy had no gag…what are you trying to do to me? He'll be about ten miles away from me when I get a place," Jase whined.
Mickey exhaled. "You are far too special for someone like that, Jason. Let's go," his friend ordered. Jase threw his hands up in the air in disbelief, but he followed Mickey outside anyway.
"We need to explain some things to you, Jason. There's shit you need to know, and I'm not sure if you'll hate all of us when you find out the truth, but it was never my idea for things to go this way. I was sworn to secrecy by Jonny's attorney/client privilege, but you need the truth and you're old enough to make your own decisions," Mickey told him…cryptic as hell. It was par for the course when it came to his friend, Mickey Warren. The guy talked in circles a lot of the time, but Jase knew he loved him, so he was prepared to listen to whatever was on his mind.
Chapter Seventeen
"You're a stubborn goddamn fool for not coming with us," Mickey had chastised over the phone to Danny. He definitely felt like a fool, but he still felt he was right. He'd done the thing he'd set out to do…send Jason off into a better life than Danny could ever provide for him. He'd kept tabs through the family, and he was proud of Jason, graduating in three years. Nobody could take that away from him.
"You tell me, Mick. If you were in my shoes, what would you do? He's too damn special to be stuck here in Holloway with me or in Dillwyn with you, shovelin' shit. He has so much potential, he needs to just move on with his life," Danny argued. He then hung up the phone.
Danny felt Kayley standing next to him with the beer he'd asked her to bring as he remembered the conversation they'd had the previous Sunday. It was Jason's graduation day, and Danny
wanted to be there more than anything, but Jason wasn't his anymore.
Dan had no right to the man's time or attention, but he could imagine how the ceremony would go without having to be there to witness it. He'd been to his own high school graduation, and the ceremony when he'd graduated from boot camp, so he knew the progression and activities involved in the ceremonies. It was enough knowledge to feed the fantasy in his mind.
"Here, Dad. You know, we could have gone with Mickey and Jon if you weren't so hard-headed. You're thinkin' about Jase, aren't you?" Kayley stated, sounding far wiser than her eight years. He knew she'd missed Jase after Dan had sent him away, but he'd forbidden her to contact him.
He was sure she'd heard about him from Meggie over the years when the families got together, but she seemed to know he didn't want to hear about it, so she'd kept quiet. Obviously, she'd heard the argument between him and Mickey over the phone the weekend before when Mickey asked him to go with them to the graduation in Georgia. He'd thanked his friend for the invitation, but declined just the same…in so many words.
He couldn't presume the hurt he'd imposed on Jason at the tender age of eighteen could ever be forgiven. There hadn't been anyone else for Dan, but he supposed that wasn't a surprise to anyone who really knew him. Phil and Javie tried to set him up on dates, but he refused every one. He was determined to be fine on his own.
Dan looked at Kayley who had so much concern in her beautiful eyes…his sister's eyes…and he hugged her. The adoption had gone through easily, and instead of doing as Jon and Mickey had urged…calling Jase to tell him…Danny had kept his mouth closed. Just like he closed the chapter of Jason Langston in his heart.
"You got any homework, Sweet Pea? I'll be there on Wednesday for Field Day, and I'll go to the store tomorrow and buy the oranges. I'll get Sophia to cut 'em up in slices, or whatever they're supposed to be. You want pizza for a treat?" he asked, thinking about her end-of-the-school-year activities.
There were two hard raps on the front door before it opened, revealing Tim Moran and Matt Collins. They were alone, and he wasn't sure what his bosses were doing at his home that evening. He started to get up, but he felt the familiar dizziness which accompanied the welcomed numbness when his heart could get a break from aching, so he sat back down in the leather recliner.
Matt walked over to Kayley and smiled. "How’re you doing, Powerhouse? You hungry?"
Danny noticed Matt whisked her away pretty quick, leaving Tim to stare at him. The blonde picked up the fresh beer Kayley had given him and took it out the back door to dump it in the yard. When he came back inside, he seemed to be pretty upset, and Danny wasn't sure why.
"Tim, whassss wrong?" Danny asked, hearing himself slurring a little.
"I could kick your ass, Dan. You…no, we didn't lie to Jason so you could become a drunk. This is an intervention. If Sophia wasn't here taking care of Kayley, we'd have done it sooner, but we kept hoping and praying you'd come to your senses. Unfortunately, you didn't, so we're going to take matters into our own hands, and you're going to go along with us.
"Yes, you've made certain Kayley was cared for, but really, Danny? Do you think it's healthy for her to see you drink yourself into oblivion because of a broken heart?" Tim hissed at him.
He sure wasn't prepared for the hostility. "What's wrong? What did I do?"
"I'm takin' her back to the ranch, babe. Can you bring her some clothes when you come home?" Matt asked as he took Kayley out the front door. Danny didn't have the strength to even object.
"Yeah. I'm gonna sober him up and bring him along in a little bit. Mickey call?" Tim asked.
Danny smiled a drunken smile. "Oh, Mick! How's my old friend, Mick?"
Tim grabbed him around the waist and pulled him up. "He's the smartest of all of us, I'll tell you that. Come on, Jackass. Time to wash the stink off ya," he directed as he half-carried Danny to the bathroom and shoved him into the shower, clothes and all.
When the cold water hit him at full blast, Danny laughed a little. It had been a hot day, and sipping Jack Daniel's all afternoon to get through it only made the temperature hotter. It was a newer habit he wasn't proud of, but it helped the days go faster.
His path to hell started with a few beers and tears in the evenings after he'd put Kayley to bed…after he'd rejected Jason Langston. He continued to tell himself it was for the best to cut it off cold turkey, and he stuck by that decision, even when he heard the words the heartbroken young man had offered.
"Sure, Danny. I understand about it. Um, can we…I mean, can I call you? Can we keep e-mailing? I won't bother you too much, but I love you, Danny."
Those words were loud in his aching head every morning, but the more he drank during the day, the quieter they became until they became silent in the evening, giving Danny the quiet of a troubled mind.
Of course, Kayley would make him something to eat as he sat in the chair. She even learned to do the laundry from Sophie, the woman he'd hired to take care of her. Sophie and Danny didn't like each other much, but they both cared about Kayley.
Dan started taking off his clothes in the shower because he knew he stank from the hot day and the work he'd done, likely more from the pint of whiskey he'd drank that afternoon as he was out fixing fence at the ranch by himself, rejecting any help from the other hands. He vaguely remembered running into the machine shed when he drove back up to park the Gator, but it was a tough vehicle. It could take the jolt. And, just like that, Danny's memories took one as well.
"What's all this?" Dan asked. Jase was standing in the hallway with Kayley behind him toting a bag from Target.
She pushed her blonde hair out of her face and smiled a glowing smile at him. "Jase and me are gonna make my room as pretty as Meggie's. You can help us if you wanna," she offered.
"Pink and spring green," Danny chuckled at the memory as he continued to shower. Jase had taken her shopping after he got paid, and he and Danny had spent the weekend fixing up her room. She still loved it.
"It's for you, Dan," Jase told him as he handed him a wrapped box with a bow. Danny wasn't one who accepted gifts easily because it just wasn't his style.
He opened it, seeing a thin chain with small letters hanging from it. A "J" and a "D". "I'm not really one for jewelry, Jase," he responded as he put it back in the box and handed it to the younger man.
"Oh! Shit. I'm sorry," Jase told him as he took the box and put it in his pocket.
Dan had seen Jase wear the necklace once when he and Kayley had visited Wonderland, and he felt guilty about it, but he didn't say anything because he was embarrassed about his stupidity at rejecting a gift the younger man had obviously offered with love.
"Hey, dumbass, wake up. You're like a popsicle. How much did you have to drink?" he heard behind him as he felt very strong arms haul him out of the shower. He looked up to see his friend, Phil, from the flower shop.
"Hey, Phil. Whatta ya doin' here?" he asked. He felt a slap across his face, which fucking stung, and then he was wrapped in a towel.
"Go home and take care of Kayley and your sons. Javier and I can handle this. Javie can be a mean bastard when he has to be, trust me. He brought me back," Danny heard his friend say. He had no idea why the man had slapped him, but he wasn't going to hold a grudge. Obviously, Danny had said something to piss off his buddy, and he would apologize when…if…he could remember what he'd said.
"I'm sorry, Jase, but this just isn't gonna work out between us. If the social worker finds out…well, you know from livin' with Jon and Mickey, and you know from Matt and Tim. I think it's best if we don't see each other anymore. I got a call from the woman that she's gonna come in the morning to speak to Kayley and me, so I had Adam go to the house and pack your stuff so you can stay at the Katydid tonight. If he missed anything, I'll send it to ya at Mick and Jon's. I'm sorry, but Kayley's my responsibility. I gotta look out for her because I'm all she's got."
"Sure, Danny. I understand about it. Um, can we…I mean, can I call
you? Can we keep e-mailing? I won't bother you too much, but I love you, Danny."
"You don't know what love is, Jason. Son, you're eighteen-years-old, and we've only known each other for about three months, really. Your life is just startin', and I've got responsibilities you're too young to comprehend. You should be in college, getting a fake ID to slip into bars and hangin' out with friends. You don't need to worry about how kindergarten is gonna be for some older guy's kid."
Danny sat bolt upright, feeling the sweat-soaked bed under him. He looked around, not recognizing his surroundings at all, but his body ached and his bladder was full. He slowly stood on shaky legs to make his way to a bedroom door, looking down to see he was still in his shorts. He found the bathroom and drained his bladder, trying to understand what had happened to him.
He remembered getting home from work before the bus dropped off Kayley from school on Monday, and then everything seemed to be a little fuzzy. After he finished his bathroom business, including brushing his teeth with a toothbrush he found on the counter, he walked out to the hallway and followed it until he found a kitchen where his friends, Javier and Felipe were sitting.
"Ah, he rises," Javie stated with a smirk. He got up from the table and poured a cup of coffee for Danny, pulling out a chair for him to sit.
"What day is it?" Dan asked, not really sure about anything. All he remembered were the horrible nightmares that plagued him. The churning of his gut and the time spent on the bathroom floor that seemed to be endless with other memories. The tremors his bodied suffered he couldn't control…the words that haunted him…
"It's Thursday," Felipe announced.
"Shit, I missed Field Day," Danny responded, feeling the guilt of the disappointment he was certain Kayley had experienced when he hadn’t shown up as promised. He should have never adopted her. She deserved much better than him.
"Field Day was covered, I promise you. There were treats, and Kayley won the hundred-yard-dash along with the two-legged sack race with a boy named Miles. She has two trophies to show you…once we get you straightened out," Felipe explained to him as he sat down across from Danny in a vinyl and chrome, retro-style, kitchen chair.
Loving the Broken Man (The Cowboys of Katydid Farm Book 3) Page 17
